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Hydrology and Water Resources

Our research group has been examining various aspects of hydrology and water resource topics in both urban and rural settings in different parts of the world. In the Pacific Northwest, in collaboration with many local agencies (e.g., USGS, Portland Water Bureau, and watershed councils), we have been examining such topics as water quality and land cover change, the effects of climate change on watershed hydrology, economic impacts of climate change on freshwater resources, land use patterns and residential water use, urban stream restoration, and the effects of urban storm water runoff on water quality. In Korea, in collaboration with Kangwon National University, Sejong University, and Meteorological Research Institute of Korea, we have been examining vulnerability of flood hazards and the interactions of water use, climate, and population changes. We are using various biophysical and socioeconomic data describing watershed characteristics to investigate the complex and hierarchical interactions of watershed dynamics. We are also using both quantitative and qualitative methods to unravel these complex interactions. Geographic information systems and spatial statistics are strongly recommended topics for all students working in this area. Students are also encouraged to take related courses offered by other departments, including the environmental sciences and resources program.

People	Publications	Presentations

Faculty contact: Heejun Chang ( mailto:changh@pdx.edu) Department of Geography

Students

David examined the effects of climate change in the upper Clackamas River basin (near Portland ). The findings of his research agreed with other regional models of climate change, which anticipate that Cascades watersheds at moderate elevations are susceptible to losing a large proportion of their snowpack if temperature increases do occur during the 21 st century. This effect will likely lead to increases to winter flows, and decreases to summer flows from these watersheds. David is interested in the use of GIS and statistical analysis for waterresources assessment and management.

Mike investigated trends in oxygen demand variables (DO sat, COD, TKN, NH 3 -N) from 1993-2003 for thirteen water quality monitoring sites throughout the Rock Creek watershed. A multi-scale land cover change analysis, through aerial photo interpretation, and a local analysis of urban land cover variables provided insight into the relationship of human influence on the landscape and water quality characteristics for this watershed.

Alex examined changes in channel morphology after effective discharge events for reference and impaired reaches of Kelley Creek, a tributary of Johnson Creek in east Portland. Examined parameters include longitudinal profiles, cross-sections, and pebble counts. He measured how channel geometry, residual pool dimensions, and particle size distribution changed following the events. The effective discharge flows altered the restoration reach more substantially than the reference reaches. This study has implications for restoration planners with the dynamic fluvial geomorphology of stream channels in humid temperate climates.

Jon is interested in integrated water resource management, GIS, and water quality issues. Using a hydro-economic modeling software, he is currently investigating the effects of land development and climate change on freshwater resources of the Tualatin River basin in northwestern Oregon, one of the fastest growing urban areas in the State. He is currently a research assistant for Heejun Chang, studying climate change and population growth in Korea and how they will affect future water use.

A first year grad student Joe Parker is examining the dynamic situation for village water managers in a rural area of Sichuan province, China. His interest is in identifying specific problems in local irrigation water management that are largely the result of government policies and programs meant to stabilize food production and costs (keeping rice prices at WTO-mandated levels), but which in fact are undermining ancient culturally-driven, eminently sustainable practices. A recent paper by Joe, Forestalling Water Wars: Returning to Our (Grass) Roots deals with the subject of conflict over water rights.

Publications since 2002 (* student author)

Boeder*, M. and Chang, H. (2008) Multi-scale analysis of oxygen demand trend in an urbanizing Oregon watershed. Journal of Environmental Management (forthcoming)

Levell*, A. and H. Chang (2008) Monitoring the Channel Process of a Stream Restoration Project in an Urbanizing Watershed: A Case Study of Kelley Creek, Oregon, USA River Research and Applications (forthcoming)

Bae, D-H, Jung, I-W., and Chang, H. (2008) Long-term trend of precipitation and runoff in Korean river basins. Hydrological Processes (forthcoming)

Bae, D-H. Jung, I-W., and Chang, H. (2008) Regional impacts of climate change on water resources in Korea by using a high resolution scenario. Climate Research (forthcoming)

Franczyk*, J. and Chang, H. (2007) Economic impacts of climate change on water resources: Toward spatially-explicit impact assessments. The Geographical Journal of Korea 41(4): 1-12.

Chang, H. and Kwon, W-T. (2007) Spatial patterns of summer precipitation trends in Korea, 1973-2005 Environmental Research Letters 2 045012 doi:10.1088/1748-9326/2/4/045012

Chang, H., J. Franczyk*, I-S Im, W-T. Kwon, D-H. Bae, and I-W. Jung (2007) Vulnerability of Korean water resources to climate change and population growth. Water Science and Technology 56(4): 57-62.

Knight, C. G., B. M. Evans, J. M. Hamlett, D.W. Lehning, M. P. Staneva, J. J. Carmichael T. N. Hristov, D. Dimitrov, V. D. Ioncheva, I. I. Nikolov, and H. Chang (2007) REKA: A Catchment Management Tool for Improving Water Quality. pp.129-138 In "Managing Water Resources in a Changing Physical and Social Environment" edited by Robinson, P.J., Jones, T., and Woo, M-K. International Geographical Union Home of Geography Publication Series, Societ? Geografica Italiana, Rome, 177pp. ISBN 978-88-88692-35-7.

Chang, H., Franczyk*, J., Bae, D-H, Jung, I-W. Im, E-S., and Kwon, W-T. (2007) Effects of climate change and population growth on Korean water resources International Association of Hydrological Sciences 315.

Chang, H. (2007) Streamflow characteristics in urbanizing basins in the Portland Metropolitan Area, Oregon, USA, Hydrological Processes 21(2): 211-222 (DOI: 10.1002/hyp6233)

Graves*, D and H. Chang (2007) Hydrologic impacts of climate change in the Upper Clackamas basin of Oregon. Climate Research 33(2): 143-157.

Chang, H. (2006) City and Hydrology, in "Urban Geography and Urbanology" edited by Kim, I. And Park, S. Purungil Publisher. Seoul, Korea (ISBN: 89-87691-67-5). (in Korean)

Chang, H. J. Franczyk*, and D-H. Bae (2006) Putting climate change into water resource management: Adaptation efforts in the U.S. U.K., Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands. Journal of Environmental Policy 5(4): 19-50.

Chang, H. and T. N. Carlson (2005) Water Quality During Winter Storm Events in Spring Creek, Pennsylvania, USA, Hydrobiologia, 544:321-332 .

Chang, H. (2005) Spatial and Temporal Variations of Water Quality in the Han River and its Tributaries, Seoul, Korea, 1993-2002. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 161: 267-284 .

Chang, H. and T. N. Carlson (2004) Patterns of Nitrate and Phosphorus Transport in Central Pennsylvania Streams. The Pennsylvania Geographer . 42(2): 61-74

Chang, H. and C. Kim (2004) Recent research trends in American Geomorphology and Hydrogeography, Journal of the Korean Geographical Society . 39(6): 873-887

Chang, H. (2004) Water Quality Impacts of Climate and Land Use Changes in Southeastern Pennsylvania, The Professional Geographer, 56(2): 240-257.

Chang, H. (2003) Basin Hydrologic Response to Changes in Climate and Land Use: The Conestoga River Basin, Pennsylvania. Physical Geography, 24(3): 222-247.

Chang, H., C. G. Knight, M. P. Staneva, and Kostov, D. (2002) Water Resource Impacts of Climate Change in Southwestern Bulgaria . GeoJournal, 57: 115-124.

Ioncheva, V.D., J.M. Hamlett, B.M. Evans, T. N. Hristov, I. I. Nikolov, and H. Chang, (2002) Diffuse Pollution - The BISTRA model, in Knight, C.G. and Hristov, T.N. (eds.) River Environmental Knowledge and Assessment - REKA Applied to The Yantra River Basin, pp.25-55. University Park and Sofia, PA and Bulgaria (ISBN: 954-90485-3-5).

Chang, H. (2002) Spatial variations of nutrient concentrations in Pennsylvania Watersheds. Journal of the Korean Geographical Society, 37(5): 536-550

Presentations since 2002

Chang, H., Shandas, V., and Parandvash, H. Spatial patterns of residential water use in the Portland metro area. 104th Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers Boston, MA, April, 2008.

Chang, H., J. Franczyk, D-H. Bae, I-W., Jung, E-S. Im, W-T. Kwon, Effects of climate change and population growth on Korean water resources. International Association of Hydrological Sciences, Perugia, Italy, July 10, 2007

Chang, H., Challenges and opportunities for teaching water resources, Teaching water resources at the Undergraduate level. Panelist, 103rd Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA, April 21, 2007.

Kim, C. and Chang, H. Who is responsible for increasing flood hazards? The case of Kangwon province of Korea. 103rd Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA, April 20, 2007.

Chang, H., J. Franczyk, and D-H. Bae, Climate change and future flood regimes. International workshop, The science and practice of flood disaster management in urbanizing Monsoon Asia, Chiang Mai, Thailand, April 5, 2007.

Chang, H., Kim, C. and Franczyk, J., Flood hazards and in urban areas of Korea and implications of climate change, International workshop, The science and practice of flood disaster management in urbanizing Monsoon Asia, Chiang Mai, Thailand, April 5, 2007.

Chang, H., J. Franczyk, D-H. Bae, I-W., Jung, E-S. Im, W-T. Kwon, Integrated regional assessment of climate change for Korean river basins. American Geophysical Union, San Francisco, CA, December 12, 2006.

Chang, H., Franczyk, J. Im, E-S., Kwon, W-T. Bae , D-H, Jung, I-W. Assessing vulnerability of Korean water resources under the changing environment , Inovations in coping with water and climate related risks” Amsterdam, 25 September, 2006.

Franczyk, J. and Chang, H. Spatial patterns of Oregon water use. Annual Meeting of the Association of Pacific Coastal Geographers, Eugene, OR, September 7, 2006.

Chang, H. Kim, C. and Franczyk, J. Spatial and temporal variations of flood hazards in Korea, American Geophysical Union Joint Assembly, Baltimore, Maryland, May 25, 2006.

Chang, H. and Boeder, M. Trends in surface water quality for Korean river basins , American Geophysical Union Joint Assembly, Baltimore, Maryland, May 25, 2006.

Chang, H. and Boeder, M. Assessment of water quality trends in the Han River basin, Korea, Oregon Academy of Sciences, Eugene, OR, February 25, 2006.

Levell, A. Monitoring the form and process of a stream restoration project in an urbanizing watershed: a case study of Kelly Creek, OR. Oregon Academy of Sciences, Eugene, OR, February 25, 2006.

Franczyk, J. and Chang, H. Korean water use: trends and forecasts, Oregon Academy of Sciences, Eugene, OR, February 25, 2006.

Dougall, J. Fountain, A. and Chang, H. Downstream effects of glaciers on stream water quality, Oregon Academy of Sciences, Eugene, OR, February 25, 2006.

Chang, H. Spatial patterns of water quality in the Han River basin , Korea , 101st Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Denver, CO, April 9, 2005.

Graves , D. An Assessment of the Effects of Climate Change in the Upper Clackamas River Basin. The American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Technical Information Exchange Meeting, Vancouver, November 10, 2005 .

Chang, H. and M. Boeder, Multivariate Analysis of Water Quality in the Tualatin River basin, OR. Annual Meeting of Oregon Academy of Sciences, Corvallis, February 26, 2005.

Graves, D. An Assessment of the Effects of Climate Change in the Upper Clackamas River Basin. Annual Meeting of Oregon Academy of Sciences, Corvallis, February 26, 2005.

Chang, H. and M. Boeder, Spatial Patterns of Water Quality in the Tualatin River basin, Third Annual Urban Ecology and Conservation Symposium, Portland, January 28, 2005.

Chang, H. Stream Restoration in Urban Areas: The Case of Portland and Seoul Metropolitan Areas, The 100th Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Philadelphia, March 16, 2004.

Chang, H. Hydrologic Effects of Urbanization in the Portland Metropolitan Area. Annual Meeting of Oregon Academy of Sciences, Portland, February 28, 2004.

Chang, H. Effects of Urbanization on Streamflow in Northwestern Oregon Watersheds. Annual Meeting of the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers, Portland, September 20, 2003.

Chang, H. Interactions of climate Change and Land use Change in Water Quality. The 99th Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, New Orleans, March 6, 2003.

Chang, H. Assessing Hydrologic Impacts of Climate Change at the Watershed Scale. American Institute of Hydrology, Portland, OR, October 2002.

Chang, H. and T. Carlson. Storm Water Related Pollutant Transport in Urbanizing Watersheds. The 98th Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Los Angeles, CA, March 21, 2002.